Holder for a telecommunications device

Abstract

A holder for a telecommunications device includes a container including a side wall connected to a base. Together the side wall and base define a cavity. Side wall defines an opening of the container at an end of the side wall distal to the base. A resilient insert is disposed inside the cavity. The insert includes a bottom portion that abuts the base and a feature for releasably retaining the device inside the container. A lid is in selective locking engagement with the side wall's distal end. When in locking engagement, the lid encloses the opening of the container to retain the device inside the holder, and to muffle a sound and/or a vibration produced by the device. A locking mechanism is operatively attached to the container and/or the lid, and holds the lid and the container together when the lid is in locking engagement with the distal end.

1. A system, comprising:
 a holder for a telecommunications device, the holder comprising:
 a container including a side wall connected to a base, the side wall and the base together defining a cavity inside the container, wherein the side wall further defines an opening of the container at an end of the side wall distal to the base; 
 a resilient insert disposed inside the cavity, the insert including:
 a bottom portion that abuts the base of the container; and 
 a feature for releasably retaining a portion of the telecommunications device inside the container, the feature being any of pre-formed or pre-cut to a size and shape of the portion of the telecommunications device; 
 wherein the resilient insert conforms to the size and shape of the portion of the telecommunications device retained inside the feature; 
 
 a lid in selective locking engagement with the distal end of the side wall such that, when the lid is in locking engagement with the distal end, the lid encloses the opening of the container to i) retain the telecommunications device inside the holder, and ii) muffle any of a sound or a vibration produced by the telecommunications device, the lid including:
 a top; 
 a lid side wall connected to the top; 
 a lid cavity defined by the lid side wall and the top; and 
 a resilient lid insert disposed inside the lid cavity, the resilient lid insert i) including a lid feature that aligns with the feature defined in the insert disposed inside the cavity of the container, ii) having a size and shape to receive an other portion of the telecommunications device protruding from the container, iii) being any of pre-formed or pre-cut to the size and the shape of the other portion of the telecommunications device, and iv) conforming to the size and the shape of the other portion of the telecommunications device protruding from the container when the lid is in locking engagement with the distal end of the side wall of the container; and 
 
 a locking mechanism operatively attached to any of the container or the lid, the locking mechanism configured to hold the lid and the container together when the lid is in locking engagement with the distal end of the side wall; and 
 
 the telecommunications device disposed inside the holder. 
 
     
     
       2. The system as defined in  claim 1  wherein the container is shaped and sized so that the container fits inside a vehicle cup holder. 
     
     
       3. The system as defined in  claim 1  wherein the resilient insert is formed from a foam. 
     
     
       4. The system as defined in  claim 1  wherein the feature is a slot defined in the insert, the slot having a length, width, and depth that enables the portion of the telecommunications device to snuggly fit inside the slot. 
     
     
       5. The system as defined in  claim 4  wherein the slot is rectangularly-shaped, and includes sharp corners, rounded corners, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
       6. The system as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a hinge operatively connected to the lid and to the container, the hinge enabling the lid to move from a closed position to an open position, and from an open position to a closed position, wherein the hinge enables the movement of the lid without the lid being physically detached from the holder. 
     
     
       7. The system as defined in  claim 1  wherein the locking mechanism includes:
 a latch operatively connected to the container side wall or the lid side wall; and 
 a complementary receiver operatively connected to, or formed on the lid side wall or the container side wall; 
 wherein the latch is configured to engage the complementary receiver to sealingly enclose the opening of the container with the lid. 
 
     
     
       8. The system as defined in  claim 1  wherein the locking mechanism includes mating threads on the distal end of the side wall and on the side wall of the lid, the mating threads configured for selective threading engagement to sealingly enclose the opening of the container with the lid. 
     
     
       9. The system as defined in  claim 1  wherein the holder is portable. 
     
     
       10. A method of retaining a telecommunications device inside a holder while operating a vehicle, comprising:
 placing a portion of the telecommunications device inside the holder, the holder including:
 a container including a side wall connected to a base, the side wall and the base together defining a cavity inside the container, wherein the side wall further defines an opening of the container at an end of the side wall distal to the base; 
 a resilient insert disposed inside the cavity, the insert including:
 a bottom portion that abuts the base of the container; and 
 a feature for releasably retaining the portion of the telecommunications device inside the container, the feature being any of pre-formed or pre-cut to a size and shape of the portion of the telecommunications device; 
 
 a lid in selective locking engagement with the distal end of the side wall, the lid including:
 a top; 
 a lid side wall connected to the top; 
 a lid cavity defined by the lid side wall and the top; and 
 a resilient lid insert disposed inside the lid cavity, the resilient lid insert i) including a lid feature that aligns with the feature defined in the insert disposed inside the cavity of the container, ii) having a size and shape to receive an other portion of the telecommunications device protruding from the container, iii) being any of pre-formed or pre-cut to the size and the shape of the other portion of the telecommunications device, and iv) being configured to conform to the size and the shape of the other portion of the telecommunications device protruding from the container upon receiving the other portion of the telecommunications device when the lid is in locking engagement with the distal end of the side wall of the container; and 
 
 a locking mechanism operatively attached to any of the container or the lid, and configured to hold the lid and the container together when the lid is in locking engagement with the distal end of the side wall; 
 
 disposing the lid on the distal end of the side wall to enclose the opening of the container; and 
 locking the telecommunications device inside the holder by actuating the locking mechanism, the locking enclosing the opening of the container to i) retain the telecommunication device inside the holder, and ii) muffle any of a sound or a vibration produced by the telecommunications device. 
 
     
     
       11. The method as defined in  claim 10  wherein the feature is a slot defined in the resilient insert, and wherein the placing of the portion of the telecommunications device inside the holder includes sliding the portion of the telecommunications into the slot. 
     
     
       12. The method as defined in  claim 11  wherein the resilient insert is formed from a foam material, and wherein upon sliding the portion of the telecommunications device into the slot, the foam conforms to the size and shape of the portion of the telecommunications device so that the telecommunications device snuggly fits inside the slot. 
     
     
       13. The method as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising receiving the other portion of the telecommunications device inside the lid feature when the lid is in locking engagement with the distal end of the side wall. 
     
     
       14. The method as defined in  claim 10  wherein the holder further includes a hinge operatively attached to the side wall of the container and to the lid side wall, and wherein the disposing of the lid on the end of the container includes pivoting the lid from an open position when the lid is not disposed on the container side wall to a closed position when the lid is disposed on the container side wall. 
     
     
       15. The method as defined in  claim 10  wherein the locking mechanism includes a latch operatively connected to the container side wall or the lid side wall and a complementary receiver operatively connected to, or formed on the lid side wall or the container side wall, and wherein the actuating of the locking mechanism includes engaging the latch with the receiver when the lid is disposed on the side wall of the container. 
     
     
       16. The method as defined in  claim 10  wherein the locking mechanism includes mating threads on the distal end of the side wall and on the side wall of the lid, the mating threads configured for selective threading engagement to sealingly enclose the opening of the container with the lid, and wherein the actuating of the locking mechanism includes rotating the lid with respect to the container so that the lid and the container threadingly engage such that the lid sealingly encloses the opening of the container. 
     
     
       17. The method as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising placing the holder inside a cup holder of the vehicle.